Wild Parrot- frustrating story

[ZephyrTK]

I work in a pet shop in southern California. The other day a woman came in thing me she found a parrot in her backyard and was planning on keeping it. I was instantly worried because she said it was injured and made no mention of trying to find its owner. She showed me a picture and I found myself more worried: it was a Nanday from the wild Nanday flock that lives in our area.

I suggested that she take the bird to a local rescue who could assess its health and get it back with its flock, take it to the vet or surrender the bird to me so I could help it. She was incredibly ignorant and asked if she could keep it as a pet. I gave her a million reasons why she shouldn't and how the bird would likely die from loneliness. She then proceeded to get a small finch cage to house it in.

Knowing I was losing the battle I asked two women I work with to go over and tag team her to try to scare her from keeping the bird. She finally gave in and bought a reasonably sized cage to transport him to the vet we recommended and went on her way.

She came in yesterday to return the cage. Sensing a happy ending I asked her how it all went. She said she didn't take him to the vet and that she attempted to keep it. It had passed away 2 days later. She said the flock stayed in her backyard and screamed and screamed and the caged bird was screaming back. She said that if he had energy to scream that she suspected he was fine. I let her know that the frustration of hearing it's flock and not being able to get to them probably stressed the bird out to the point of death. Then there was the likelihood that the bird was sick.

She asked then if she could meet a few of our conures. You will be happy to know that I refused to sell her a bird until she could display a thorough understanding of their needs and care. I doubt she'll ever come back.

One of my employees asked if I was too hard on her, that if the bird was sick in the wild it would have died anyway. My response: the bird wasn't in the wild, it was in the care of a human who had resources to assist the bird or ease its suffering.

One of the more annoying things I've dealt with. I figured you would all feel my pain and frustration over this poor souls suffering.

 

[Karigan]

That is a hard situation. I'm glad you didn't sell her a bird, though I'd like to think that she tried... I don't know. It's never easy to gauge how hard you were on her since we can't get her side of the story, but it sounds like you did the right thing.

 

[BillsBirds]

I'm with you. Though I would not have accepted the cage back, in case the bird had a virus, or left bacteria in it. Unless I know for sure why a bird died, I never re-use the cage. And if I know, never without a THOROUGH cleaning.

 

[ConureLady]

I completely understand how you feel. out of hundreds of people wanting my conures, I only find about three responsible owners.
People always think they are smarter than everybody else! thats when I recommend a parrot forum or a vet number to call and ask questions. You might want to ask the local avian vet for business cards to give to customers.

 

[ZephyrTK]

I'm with you. Though I would not have accepted the cage back, in case the bird had a virus, or left bacteria in it. Unless I know for sure why a bird died, I never re-use the cage. And if I know, never without a THOROUGH cleaning.

I had th cage destroyed. I would never reuse a cage--too dangerous.

 

[ZephyrTK]

That is a hard situation. I'm glad you didn't sell her a bird, though I'd like to think that she tried... I don't know. It's never easy to gauge how hard you were on her since we can't get her side of the story, but it sounds like you did the right thing.

As for trying, she asked if she could keep the bird in a box with holes in it.

She was wreckless.

Sorry for venting. I just knew you all would understand.

 

[MonicaMc]

There are some people who should not own pets. Then there are some people that need heavy bleaching in the gene pool...


Sorry to hear about the little guy! I wonder if she even tried feeding it, and if she did, what she tried to feed the bird? Poor thing!

 

[ZephyrTK]

I suggested nutriberries and millet. They always seem to be the first things birds go for. (I never suggest seed).

 

[WannaBeAParrot]

She was wreckless and lacking common sense. I know I wasn't there, but based on the fact that she had your advice and that of your co-workers, yet she still managed to torture the bird AND his flock, I stick with my assessment.

Too bad there isn't a data base of faces of people that should be on the "be concerned about selling / giving a bird to this person" list, city by city. I know it's just a crazy idea, but it would be really good if there was some way to share that info, i.e. if you and other pet stores / breeders would have an email list to share the story and tell ea other to be on the lookout for her. Maybe I'm being too hars, but it sounds like she made the bird's end miserable, and worst of all, would probably do it again just like that.

 

[008kenichijouji]

I take this as a reminder that us bird/parrot people still need to really push to educate people about our bird pals, or at least make the effort. And we should be friendly about it! Not saying you weren't, that's not my meaning. But I'll give an example... When I first started getting into aviculture, I visited a few bird shows/fairs in different cities in the midwest, and many of the vendors weren't approachable, and it kinda turned me off to talking to them about their wares and more importantly their birds! It was as if they expected me to be as knowledgeable as them, and since I wasn't, they shut me out.... LOL! Not saying everyone's like that, but it made me a bit apprehensive to ask for tips/knowledge/etc.

But some people just won't take advice, no matter how nice. That's a fact of life. Frustrating, but.... That's just how it is. :[ Most people grow up with an askewed sense of how birds (parrots especially) function, and that's something hard to get out of people's impressions of birds. I get it all the time when I tell people I'm a bird person, and I get the weird look, and a plethora of annoying questions and comments.........